Machine for bundling stacks of rings



Jan. 5, 1937. u GQRA 2,066,971

MACHINE FORYBUNDLING STACKS OF RINGS Filed March 27, 1955 a Sheets-Sheet1 TTORNEYS Jan. 5, 1931. H. GORA 2,066,971

' MACHINE FOR BUNDLING STACKS OF RINGS Filed March 27, 1933 aSheets-Sheet 2 7270 !NVENTOR K .Hw @fll.

ATTORNEYS Jan. 5,1193% H. GORA MACHINE FOR BUNDLING STACKS OF RINGS 8Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 27, 1933 INVENTOR flew-g7 -om ATTORNEYS Jali.5, 1937. r RA 2,066,971 MACHINE FOR-BUNDLING STACKS OF RI NGS Filed Marh27, 1933 .8 Sheets-Sheet 5 avg I .1

III!

ATTORNEYS HLGORA I MACHINE vFOR BUNDLING STACKS 013' RINGS Jan. 5, 1937.

Fil d March 27, 1933 a Sheets-Skeet 7 INVENTOR Jae my QoraEZA'ITORNEYS'W Jan. 5, 1937. v GORA 2,066,971

MACHINE FOR BUNDLING STACKS OF RINGS Filed March 27, 1933 8 Sheets-Sheet8 y u I I 5.9 I I P I. HIIIHIIHI llll l lilll lllll mun e ATI'ORNEYSpatented jan. 5 1937 PATENT OFFICE 2,066,971 MACHINE FOR. BUNDLINGsTAoKs F RING Henry Gora, Bridgeport, 00:111., assignor to JenkinsBros., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application March27,

24 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in machines for bundling orclipping stacks of superposed articles, such as rings, by wrapping orbending strip binding material about the stacks, the machine including amagazine feed for segregating the articles into stacks containing apredetermined number and delivering the stacks to a holder, means forfeeding the strip binding mama terial to position for application to thestacks and coordinated means for clamping thestacks in the holder andfor bending the strip binding material about the clamped stacks, asfully shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, of the machine.

Fig. 2'is a, front elevation.

Fig. 3 is a plan view."

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section on line 4-4 of Fi 3.

Fig. 4a is an enlarged section on line la -4a of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a partial plan and horizontal section of the conveyer and thestrip applying means.

Fig. 6 is an elevation, partly in section, of the mechanism shown inFig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the conveyer and one ofthe clip applying slides.

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are detail views of a slide, with one-half removed,showing successive positions of the bending or clipping means.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged plan view of one of the subsidiary slides.

Fig. 12 is an-elevation thereof.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary sectional detail of the stripfeed and crimpingdevice.

Fig. 14 is a section online I l-I4 of Fig. 13.

Figs. 15 and 16 are perspective views of the knives.

Fig. 17 is a section on line II-I1 of Fig. 12.

Fig. 18 is a section on line IB-IB of Fig. 12.

Fig. 19 is an enlarged plan View of the magazine, stack former andfeeder in its association with the conveyer.

Fig. 20 is a section on line 20-20 of Fig. 19.

Fig. 21 is an elevational detail of the rock lever.

Fig. 22 is a section on line 22--22 of Fig. 20.

Fig. 23 is a section on line 23-23 of Fig. 20.

Fig. 24 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of the magazine.

Fig. 25 is a fragmentary elevation of the magazine.

Fig. 26 is an elevation of one of the elements of the stack former.

Fig. 27 is a detail of one of the stack forming fingers.

1933, Serial No. 663,042

Fig. 28 is a plan view of a clipped or bundled stack of rings.

Fig. 29 is a side elevation thereof. As exemplified in the accompanyingdrawings,

the machine is designed to segregate and feed 5 stacks of jar rings,each stack containing twelve rings, to an intermittently moving conveyermade up of receptacles to hold a unit stack and present the stackssuccessively to means for feeding the strip binding material thereto,means for severing the binding material into predetermined lengths,means for clamping each stack in its receptacle, so that the stacks willbe of substantially uniform thickness, and means for folding or bendingthe binding strip about the'stacks, so that the latter will be deliveredfrom the machine as unit bundles to facilitate distribution to ultimateusers or purchasers.

Referring to the drawings, I indicates the frame of the machine, whichmay be conveniently constructed of angle bars, thetop of the frame beingprovided with two parallel longitudinal stringers 2, 2 connected atintervals by cross pieces which carry the longitudinal rails 3, 3, whichserve as guides for the conveyer mechanism.

Journaled in bearings 9 secured to the tops of the stringers 2, 2 is ashaft 8. to which are keyed sprocket wheels I, I, which serve to drivethe conveyer I ii, and secured to the forward ends of the stringers 2, 2are bearings 6, 6 to which is secured a stationary shaft 5, upon whichare mounted spaced disks 4, t about the peripheral edges of which theconveyer II] is guided. The conveyer or carrier I0 comprises a series oflinks II each having parallel tongues I2 on its ends adapted tointermesh with coordinate tongues on the adjacent links, theintermeshing tongues being provided with registering openings which areengaged by pintles I3 on the ends of which are journaled rollers I4which engage the tracks 3, sprocket wheels I, I and guide disks 4, 4,respectively. Any slackness in the endless conveyer may be taken up byadjusting the bearings 6, 6.

Each of the links of the endless conveyer is fashioned to constitute areceptacle or holder for a stack of superposed rings, each stackcontaining twelve rings, and to present each stack in proper relation tomeans for clamping the stack in position in its receptacle, reducing itto substantially uniform thickness and to other mechanism which will beeffective in bending or clipping lengths of strip binding materialaboutthe stack to form the same into a unitary bundle capable of being freelyhandled. As indicated, there is formed in the body portion of each linka generally annular recess l5, somewhat larger than the rings to bebundled, which recess is defined by a central core !5, the sides of thelink and the core being provided with diametrically opposite generallyrectangular recesses ll, which constitute openings through which thestrip binding material may be passed freely during the clippingoperation, as will be hereinafter explained.

Stack forming mechanism The machine is designed to operate upon stacksof superposed rings, each stack preferably containing twelve rings and,in order to automatically supply stacks of the requisite number to eachof the ring receptacles of the conveyer, the machine is provided with anovel form of magazine and stack forming device, which is illustrated indetail in Figs. 19 to 27, inclusive. The magazine comprises askeletonized generally cylindrical casing 44 adapted to receive arelatively large number of rings, said casing being mounted in axialalignment with a cylindrical member 42, which is formed as an integralpart of a yoke-like casting ll which is pivoted to brackets 40 mountedon one of the cross bars of the machine, so that the lower end of thecylindrical casing 42 will be in vertical alignment with the annularrecess in each link of the conveyer chain, as the latter isintermittently halted in the operation of the machine. In order toaccurately adjust and level the magazine, set screws 4! carried bybrackets 40' are adapted to engage the lower face of the casting 4 I. Itwill be noted that the entire magazine may be swung to the left, asshown in Fig. l, to permit the clearing of any rings that may jam in themachine during the operation thereof. Under ordinary service conditions,however, the magazine will be maintained in vertical relation, so thatthe rings stored therein will feed downward by gravity.

Secured to the lower part of the magazine section 44 by lugs 45 andbolts 41 is a ring 45, from which is suspended the means for segregatingthe stacks of rings and delivering the stacks successively to thereceptacles in the links of the conveyer chain. This stack formingmechanism includes an upper ring member 49 provided with recesses 50 inits lower face, an intermediate ring 5| and a lower ring 59, which isprovided with recesses 60 in its upper face, which, in other respects,is a duplicate of ring 49. These ring members are secured together andto the ring 45 carried by the lower end of the magazine 44 by bolts 48.The intermediate ring 5! is provided with two sets of four pins 52 and62, respectively, the pins 52 projecting from the upper surface thereofand the pins 62 projecting from the lower surface of said ring. Pivotedto each of the pins 52 for swinging movement within the recesses 53 areseparator fingers 53, which are generally shaped like a bell crank, eachhaving a slotted or clevised outer end 55 and a thin blade-like portion54 on its inner face, each of the blade-like members being adapted tooperate in one of four vertical slots 43 formed in the tubular sectionQ2 of the magazine. Similar but reversely disposed separator fingers 53are mounted on the pins 52 for pivotal movement within the slottedportions 60 of the lower ring 59, each of said elements 53 beingprovided with a slotted outer end 55 and knife-like inner end 64, whichare also adapted to be moved into and out of registry with the slots 43in the member 42. The intermediate ring 5! is of less external diameterthan the upper and lower rings 49 and 59 and disposed in the annularspace formed by the assembled rings is an outer ring 10, which isprovided with four pins H on its upper face engaging the slotted rclevised ends of the separator fingers 53 and four pins 72 projectingfrom its lower face engaging the corresponding slotted ends 55 of theseparator fingers 53, so that, when the ring 70 is oscillated, one setof separator fingers will be moved to project the knife-like endsthereof through the slots 43 in the lower part of the magazine into thepath of movement of the rings in the magazine, while the other set ofseparator fingers will be retracted; therefore, for each completeoscillation of the outer ring 10, a stack of twelve rings will besegregated from the rings in the upper part of the magazine by the upperset of separator fingers 53, while the previously separated stack oftwelve rings will be released by the lower set of separator fingers 53and dropped into the registering receptacle in the conveyer chain, asindicated in Fig. 20. The necessary oscillatory motion of the outer ring70 is effected by means of a rock lever pivoted to a yoke 16, which issecured to one end of the casting 41, said rock lever comprising an arm86 connected to a hub 85 by studs 81 and locked in position by a screw88, engaging a threaded socket in a stud 11 secured to the bracket 16,and an arm 18 secured to the hub 85 and provided at its lower end with alongitudinal bore engaged by pin 80 secured to a clevis 19, whichengages pins 82 carried by a pintle 8| secured in the periphery of thering 70. The arm 86 has mounted on its outer end a roller 89 adapted tobe engaged in a groove in one of the cams which operates the clippingmechanism to be hereinafter explained. Ring is anchored to member 42 ofthe magazine by a set screw l5, which is ap plied to or removed from itslocking relation through an enlarged opening 14 in ring 10, as shown inFigs. 22 and 25.

Conveyer drive The movement of the conveyer is intermittent to permiteach link to be arrested with the re ceptacle therein in alignment withthe discharge end of the magazine to permit the stack of rings to bedelivered from the latter into said receptacle. The intermittentmovement of the conveyer is eifected by the following mechanism: Anelectric motor 20, mounted on the frame, is connected by shaft 20 with aset of reducing gears of any appropriate type, mounted in casing 2|,which reducing gears are adapted to be connected by a clutch to asprocket wheel 23, which is connected by a sprocket chain 24 with asprocket wheel 25 on shaft 26 journaled in bearings I03 mounted on thestringers 2, 2. Fast to the shaft 26 is the driving disk or plate 21forming part of a Geneva gear, said disk having mounted on its face apin and roller 28, which is adapted to impart partial rotations to thecooperating Geneva gear member 30 by successively engaging the radialslots therein in the manner and form characteristic of this type ofgear. Also connected to the plate 21 is a segmental boss 29, whichserves to lock the member 30 against rotation, after the pin 28 haspassed out of engagement with any slot in the member 30. Said member 30is secured to shaft 8 upon which the sprocket wheels 1 driving theconveyer ID are secured, as hereinbefore explained. The Geneva gear, asdescribed, is effective to move the conveyer a distance equal to thelength of one of the conveyer links and then to arrest the movement ofthe conveyer until the pin 28 on the driving plate or disk 21 engagesthe next succeeding slot in the member The operation of the Geneva gearbrings each link in the conveyer into' alignment with the lower end ofthe magazine 44 to receive a stack of rings and advances the precedinglink containing a stack of rings to the next position of rest, where thestack is operated upon by certain means for clamping the stack and othermeans for clipping strip binding material about the stack to form thelatter into a unitary bundle, as will be hereinafter explained.

Binder strip feeding means In the preferred form of the machine, thestrip material, comprising a flexible metal band or ribbon which iscapable of being readily bent and will retain the form to which it isbent, is supplied to the machine in the form of rolls or coils carriedby reels or spools I I I disposed on opposite sides of the machine frameand carried by stub shafts IIO, the hub of each spool being engaged bya'friction braking device IIO, which may be adjusted to prevent the freerotation of the spools, but will admit of the latter turning upon theapplication of a pull to the, strip material carried thereby. As shownin Figs. 1 and 2, each strip of binding material H2 is led from itsspool under a guide pulley II4 mounted on the lower part of the machineframe, thence over and under the rollers of a tensioning device II3,over a final guide roller I I5 mounted on the inside of the machineframe, through an adjustable guide I50 secured to a housing I20, whichis formed as an extension of a central table or cross plate 2 on the topof the machine frame. From the guide I50, the strip passes between feedrolls, thence through a final guide I5I through an opening in the crossplate 2, to a position adjacent one of the lateral openings I1 in a linkof the conveyer chain. There are two sets of feed rolls, one pair foreach strip of binding material, and one set is shown in detail in Fig.13, and the mechanism for operating both sets is indicated in Fig. 6.Shafts I30 and MI, journaled in housing I20, carry'rolls I43 and I42,respectively, shaft I4I being mounted in an adjustable bearing I4I',which is engaged by a spring I45 carried by set screw I44, by means ofwhich the pressure exerted by the feed rolls on the binding strip may beregulated and which permits roll I42 to yield under abnormal pressure,such as would be exerted when one of the rolls'is provided with indiciaon its face to be embossed'on the strip material as an identifying markfor the rings. The other pair of feed rolls is carried by shafts I35 andI31, the latter being journaled in an adjustable bearing I41 engaged byspring I49 carried by set screw I48, similar in all respects to thecorresponding elements of the other pair of rolls.

Intermittent movement is imparted to the two sets of feed rolls toadvance predetermined lengths of the strip binder material betweenshearing knives and in position to be bent or folded about a stack ofrings. A countershaft 9 I, journaled in bearings mounted on thestringers 2, 2, has secured thereto a second element 90 of a Genevagear, similar to element 30 hereinbefore described, and which isintermittently actuated by the same driving disk or plate 21, thedisposition and arrangement being such that, when element 30 is beingrotated by driving disk 21, element 90 is :held in stationary or lockedrelation and vice versa. Keyed to the shaft 9 I is a bevel gear I24meshing with a bevel pinion I23 on longitudinal shaft I2 I, which latteris journaled at one end in yoke I22 and near its other end in housingI20, this end of said shaft having keyed thereto gear I30 which is thefirst in a train of gears driving the two pairs of feed rolls, said gearI30 meshing with gear I3I, which engages pinion I34 on shaft I35 of onefeed roll, said pinion meshing with pinion I36 on shaft I31 of thecooperating feed roll. GearI3I also drives gear I32, which drives pinionI38 on shaft I39 of feed roll I43, said pinion meshing with pinion I40on shaft I4I of feed roll I42. The two pairs of feedrolls are thusactuated simultaneously to project equal lengths of the binder stripsinto position to be severed and to be applied to opposite sides of thestacks of rings, the movement of the feed rolls being effected during aperiod of rest of the feed chain or conveyer, so that the ends of thebinder strips will be projected upwardly adjacent to and on oppositesides of a link of the conveyer chain, and in general parallelism withthe lateral openings I1 in said link.

Cutting and clipping mechanism Extending from cross plate 2 are twobracketlike members I60, slotted longitudinally at their outer ends andprovided with dovetailed guides I6I, which are engaged by cooperatinggrooves formed in the bottoms of the slides which carry the clamping andclipping mechanism, said grooves being faced with wear plates I62 whichare adjusted by set screws I63. Each slide comprises two castings I54and I65 locked together by cross bolts I66. The rear end of each slideis recessed, as indicated at Fig. 5, to permit the entrance of theperiphery of an actuating cam I05. Mounted on a stud I68 on each of theslide members IE4 is a roller I61 which engages a groove I01 in one faceof the corresponding disk I05, fashioned to advance and retract thecooperating slide with an intermittent dwell during substantiallyone-half revolution of the cam and to hold the slide stationary duringthe other half rotation. The member I65 of each slide is provided with aslot I69, extending from its outer end, forming a guide for an auxiliaryslide I10, which carries a roller I1I journaled on stud I12 and engaginga cam groove I06 on the oppositeface of disk I05 tothat in which grooveI01 is located, said groove I06 conforming to groove I01, except in theintermediate dwell portion of the latter, which, as shown in Figs. 6, 9and 10, is substituted by a sharp reverse bend extending toward theperiphery of the disk I05. This arrangement of the cam slots I06 and I01in each disk I05 causes the main slide and the auxiliary slide tooperate in unison, except during the dwell between the completion of theadvance and the beginning of the retraction of the main slide, when theauxiliary slide is advanced and retracted independently of the mainslide by this sharply curved portion of the cam groove I06, whichindependent movement of the auxiliary slide is effected to actuate theclipping means, which secures the binder strips about the stacks ofrings.

Each auxiliary slide I10, as shown in detail in Figs. 11, 12, 17 and 18,carries a rack bar I having teeth on its upper and lower edges, thefunction of which is to operate the clipping fingers, the movement ofwhich fingers should be accurately regulated and' adjusted, to which endthe rack I80 is made adjustable longitudinally of the slide I10. Theinnerend of slide I10 is slotted to form guides for a block II5 to theface of which rack bar I is secured by screws IBI, said block having twospaced perforated lugs I'I6 on its rear face engaged by an adjustingscrew I'I8 having a collar I'II secured thereto between the lugs I16,the threaded end of the screw engaging a screw threaded boss I19 onslide I10 and being provided with a lock nut I19 to hold the set screwI18 and the rack bar I86 in any position of adjustment.

Mounted in the recessed inner walls of the slide sections I64 and I65are two gear trains I90, I9I and I92 and I90, I9I and I92, gears I90 andI90 engaging the teeth on the opposite edges of rack bar I80 and thegears I92 and I92 engaging,

- respectively, mutilated gears I93 and I93, which are also journaled inthe side walls of sections I64 and I65, said mutilated gears havingangular fingers I94 and I94 formed thereon, adapted to engage the stripbinding material and crimp or bend the same about the stacks of rings,in the manner and form shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10.

In order to reduce the stacks of rings to uniform thickness, while thebinder strips are being applied, each of the main slides, constituted bythe half sections I64 and I65, is provided with two clamping dogs 200pivoted on studs 20I mounted on the sides of the slide near the upperpart of the forward edges thereof, each dog having substantially theform of a bell crank lever, one arm of which carries an adjustable setscrew 204 adapted to engage the side walls of a link of the conveyorchain, when the main slide is advanced toward the conveyer, and rock thedog into engagement with the top of the stack of rings carried by saidlink. Each dog is normally swung into inoperative position by a spring202 having one end secured to the dog by a cross pin and the other endattached to the stud on which the dog is pivoted. The retractilemovement of each dog is limited by a stop pin thereon, which may be thepin by which the spring 202 is attached to the dog, said pin engagingthe lower edge of a lug I95 projecting from the forward face of the mainslide. These lugs I95 also constitute guides for the binding material,as the latter is fed to position for application, and are located inpairs at the top and bottom of the front faces of each of the mainslides.

Secured in recesses in the cross plate 2' are fixed knives I96, one ofwhich is shown in detail in Fig. 16, which cooperate with knives I96,one secured to the lower face of each main slide, each pair of knivescooperating to cut the section of strip binding material that has beenfed to position in the front face of each slide, as indicated in Figs. 8and 10. The detail of knife I96 is shown in Fig. 15.

As hereinbefore stated, the rings are fed from the magazine 44 into thereceptacles in the individual links of the conveyer chain, in stacks oftwelve, by the automatic segregating and feeding means described, andthe latter means is preferably actuated by one of the cam disks I05,which, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6, is provided on one face with anadditional cam groove I08 engaged by the roller 89 on the end of rocklever 86, said groove being formed to impart properly timed swingingmovements to said rock lever, which effects alternate advance andretractile movements of the sets of segregating fingers 54 and 64, ashereinbefore described.

The cam disks I are secured to the ends of shafts I02, journaled inbrackets I03 and I04 mounted on the stringers 2, 2, each of said shaftshaving on its other end a bevel gear IOI, which meshes with a similarbevel gear I00, the latter being secured to the respective ends of crossshaft 26, which is constantly driven during the operation of themachine.

Disposed longitudinally of the machine is an endless belt conveyer 220operating over pulleys 22I, 222, which latter is driven by belt 223 froma pulley 224 mounted on a cross shaft 26. The conveyer belt 220 isdesigned to receive the bundles of rings, as the latter are dischargedfrom the conveyer I0, and to deliver the same into suitable receptaclesor containers. In order to retain the bundled rings in the individualreceptacles of the conveyer chain I0 until the links reach the positionto discharge individual bundles onto the conveyer belt 220, there isprovided a spring finger 240 which is conveniently attached to bracketI22, the lower portion of said finger engaging the top surfaces of thelinks II, as the latter pass successively around the sprocket wheels I,thereby preventing the clipped or bundled stacks dropping out of thelinks prematurely.

As stated, the operation of the machine is controlled by a clutchadapted to connect and disconnect the sprocket wheel 23 with the shaftof the reducing gearing in casing 2|, said clutch being operated byconventional linkage, such as 233 and 23I, and foot pedal 230.

Operation In the normal operation of the machine, the motor 20 drivesthe main shaft 26 continuously through reducing gearing in casing 2I andthe chain and sprocket gearing 23, 24 and 25, and shaft 26 rotatesdriving disk 2'! and Geneva gearing and the cam disks I05 in unision andat the same speed. Member 30 of the Geneva gear operates the conveyer I0intermittently, advancing the latter by an amount equal to the length ofone link of the conveyer during part of each rotation of the shaft 26and driving disk 21, and holding the conveyer stationary during theremainder of each rotation of said shaft 26, thereby moving the linksand chain successively under the discharge end of the magazine 44. Aseach link is halted under the magazine, cam slot I08 in one of the camdisks I05 acuates rook lever 86, which moves ring II) of the stacksegregating unit to retract fingers 64 from under a stack of rings inthe lower part of the magazine, permitting the stack to drop into theannular receptacle I5 in the subjacent link of the conveyer, said ringI0 simultaneously projecting fingers 54 into the tier of rings in themagazine to support the tier of rings above the segregating unit. As thedisk I05 continues its rotation, lever 86 is rocked in the oppositedirection by the cam slot, thereby reversing the movement of ring 10,causing the latter to retract the upper set of fingers 54 of the stacksegregating unit and project the lower set of fingers 64 into the pathof movement of the rings in the magazine. As the distance between thetwo sets of fingers 54 and 64, measured axially of the magazine, isequal to the height or thickness of a stack of rings to be bundled, eachrota-- tion of shaft 26 and cam disk I05 will effect the delivery of onestack, in the present instance twelve rings, to the receptacle in thelink of the the conveyer chain immediately blow the magazine. While onelink of the conveyer chain is receiving a stack of rings, the precedinglink, which has already received a stack, isat rest between the slideswhich effects the compression and clipping of the stack, as

shown in Figs. 5 and 6. After the conveyer, chain has been'halted,member 90 of the Geneva gear is given a partial rotation by pin 28 onthe driving. disk 21, thereby operating the two pairs of feed rolls I42and, I43 through shaft 9I, bevel gears I24, I23, gshaft I2I and thetrain of gears in the housing I20, each pair of feed rolls feeding alength of strip binding material II 2 upward through the guide I5I andopening in plate 2 inte position opposite one of the lateralopenings I!in the proximate link and immediately adjacent the portion of the'stackof rings exposed through said opening. Immediately following the feedingof the strip of binding material to position, the cam slots I06 and I01in disks I05 move'the main slides andthe auxiliary slides carriedtherebyin unison toward the sides of the stationary link II containingthe stack of rings to be-clipped or bundled. As the operation of thesecoordinated main. and auxiliary slides are the. same, the operation ofone of them will be particularly described. The roller I5! carried bythe main slide engages the cam slot I01 in disk I05 and, when the rollpasses out of the portion of the cam slotconcentric with the axis ofrotation of the cam, the main slide is moved forward until'the front endthereof engages the side of link II of the conveyer chain and assumesthe position shown in Fig;" 6. Simultaneously, the

rollerI'II on the auxiliary slide II0 moves the" auxiliary slide withthemain slide, that is to say, the'mainand auxiliary slides are movedsimultaneously to the same extent until theyattain the position-shown inFig. 6. Dining the next partial rotationofcam disk I05, the inain slideremains stationary, as the roller I61 engages the outer concentricportion ofthe cam groove I01. As the main slide approaches the end ofits movement toward the conveyer, the

set screws 204 carried by the clamping dogs 200 rock the latter on theirpivots, causing the noses of the dogs to engage the top of the stack ofrings ment, theknife I90 carried the'reby, in cooperation. with thestationary knife I96, seversl the portion of the binding-stripprojectingabove' the .kniveSQsaid severed section being held in align-,ment-betweenthe two setsof lugs I95 and I95 on the'forwardrf'ace of theslide. As soon as the f orward movement of the main slide ceases, the.roller IfII on theiauxiliaryslide I10 passes into the, sharplycurvedsection of. camslot I06, thereby causing the auxiliary slide tomove forward .independentlyof. the main slide, which forward movement.causesthe rack bar-I80 to actuate the two trai'nsgoflgearing journaledin the main slide,

which ieffect "a partial rotation of the clipping fingers I94 and I94which latter engage the l upperand lower portions ofith e severedsection ,of thebindingistrip-I mend bender fold the same over the topand; bottom of the I stack and-thence down and up against the innersurface of the stack,fin the manner. and. form particularly illus-I-trated in the;-,cornpletion of the clipping operation being effectedwhen the roller I'II reaches-the high'pointin the cam slot I06. Im-

tra'cting the auxiliary slide 0 I I0, together withrack bar I80, whichreverses the movement of the gear trains and swings the clipping fingersI94 and I94 backward into their retracted position. The further rotationof the cam disk I05 causes the rollers I61 and Ill to engagethedeclining portions of the cam slots I01 and I06, respectively, therebycausing both the main and auxiliary slides to move backward togetheruntil the rollers aforesaid engage the inner concentric portions of therespective cam slots, when the motion of both slides is arrested.Immediately after the retractile movement of the slides has beencompleted, the pin 28 0n the driving disk 21 ofthe Geneva gear againengages element 30 of said gear to move the conveyer chain ahead thedistance of another link and the series of operations hereinbeforedescribed is repeated. The clipped or bundled stacks of rings areretained in the receptacles in the links until the links pass partiallyaroundthe sprocket wheels I and each link reaches the ultimate point ofdischarge immediately above the conveyer belt 220, the spring finger 240engaging the stack in the partially inverted link, as indicated in Fig;4, to prevent the premature discharge of the bundled stack.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that the strip bindingmaterial is drawn off of the reels in accurately predetermined lengthsby the feed rollers and any kinks or deformations of the strip materialis ironed out by the guide rollers and the stationary guides throughwhich it is led, sothat the proper length of smooth strip is ultimatelypresented to the clipping mechanism in position to be folded about thestack of superposed rings. If desired, the feed rolls may be providedwith means for marking or impressing-indicia in the strip bindingmaterial, the latter being of a character to take and retain theimpressions, and, while capable of being readily bent or folded about astack are of a consistency to retain the form into which they are sobent or folded, thereby insuring the stability and compactness of theclipped bundle of superposed rings, which latter may be handled anddistributed without impairing their integrity, but neverthelesspermitting the individual bundles to be broken down by passing a thinbladed instrument between the binding clips and the stack and bendingback one end of each binding strip to free the rings.

What I claim is:

1. A machine for bundling stacks of superposed rings comprising a'holder for a stack, means for feeding strip binding material parallel tothe axis of a stack of rings to positions adjacent opposite sides of thestack, means for compressing the rings in a direction parallel to theiraxes, and means disposed on opposite sides of the stack for respectivelybending the binding :material around the ends of the stack while thelatter is subjected to the compressing means.

2. A machine for bundling stacks of superposed rings, comprising aholder for a stack,

means for feeding strip binding material to position adjacent theholder, and mechanism movable transversely of the axis of the stackinvolving means for severing a predetermined length of strip and meansfor bending the severed strip in opposite directions within the stack.

3. In a machine for bundling stacks of superposed rings, the combinationwith a conveyer having unit receptacles for the stacks, of meansfor'feeding strip binding material parallel to the axis of a stack ofrings to positions adjacent opposite sides of the stack, means-forcompressing the rings in a direction parallel to their axes, t l? meansfor severing predetermined lengths of the strip material, and meansdisposed on opposite sides of the stack for respectively bending thesevered lengths of strip material about the stack while the rings arecompressed, each of said bending means including a pair of rigidfingerlike members respectively adapted to bend a sev-v ered length ofstrip material across the ends of the stack and in opposite directionsWithin the stack.

4. In a machine for bundling stacks of superposed rings, the combinationwith a conveyer having unit receptacles for the stacks, of means forfeeding strip binding material parallel to the axis of a stack of ringsto a position adjacent the stack, a slide movable transversely of theaxis of the stack, and mechanism mounted on said slide including meansfor compressing the rings in a direction parallel to their axes, meansfor severing a predetermined length of binding material, and means forbending the severed length of binding material about the stack while thelatter is subjected to the compressing means.

5. In a machine for bundling stacks of superposed rings, the combinationwith a conveyer having unit receptacles for the stacks, of means forfeeding strip binding material parallel to the axis of a stack of ringsto a position adjacent the stack, a slide movable transversely of theconveyer, and mechanism mounted on said slide including pivoted dogsmovable into engagement with the receptacle containing the stack forcompressing the rings in a direction parallel to their axes, means forsevering a predtermined length of strip binding material, and means forbending the severed length of binding material about the stack while thelatter is subjected to the compressing means.

6. In a machine for bundling stacks of superposed rings, the combinationwith a conveyer having unit receptacles for the stacks, of means forfeeding strip binding material parallel to the axis of a stack of ringsto a position adjacent the stack, a slide movable transversely of theconveyer, and mechanism mounted on said slide including pivoted dogs forcompressing the rings in a direction parallel to their axes, means forsevering a predetermined length of binding material, and pivotedfinger-like members for bending the severed length of binding materialabout the stack while the latter is subjected to the compressing means.

7. A machine for bundling stacks of superposed rings, comprising anintermittently movable conveyer having receptacles for stacks of rings,means for feeding strip binding material parallel to the axis of a stackof rings to position adjacent the stack and mechanism movable edgewiseof the stack involving coordinated means for clamping the stack and forbending the binding material about the stack while the latter issubjected to the clamping means.

8. A machine for bundling stacks of superposed rings, comprising anintermittently movable conveyer having receptacles for stacks of rings,means for feeding strip binding material to position adjacent the stack,coordinated means for clamping the stack, and mechanism movable edgewiseof the stack involving means for severing a predetermined length of saidstrip and for bending said severed length about the stack while thelatter is subjected to the clamping means.

9. A machine for bundling stacks of superposed rings, comprising aconveyer having receptacles for unit stacks of rings, means for feedingstrip binding material parallel to the axis of a stack of rings topresent said material in an upright position adjacent the stack,clamping means for pressing each stack in its receptacle when the latterreaches the position in which the stack is to be bundled, means movabletransversely of the axis of the stack for bending the binding materialabout the stack while the latter is subjected to the clamping means, andtimed gearing for intermittently operating the conveyer, the stripfeeding means, the clamping means and the strip bending means.

10. A machine for bundling stacks of superposed rings, comprising achain conveyer having links each provided with a recess to receive aunit stack and lateral openings extending into the body of the link,means for presenting strips of binding material to the stacks inalignment with the lateral openings in the links, transversely movingmain slides having means for clamping the stacks in the receptacles andfor bending the binding material about the stacks, auxiliary slidescarried by the main slides and having means for actuating the stripbending means carried by the main slides, and timed driving gearing forintermittently operating the conveyer, the strip presenting means andthe slides.

11. A machine as described in claim 10, in which the main slides areprovided with means for severing the presented binding material intopredetermined lengths.

12. A machine for bundling stacks of superposed rings, comprising aholder to receive a unit stack, means for feeding strip binding materialto position adjacent the stack, a main slide movable toward and from theholder and having means for clamping the stack in the holder and forbending the binding material about the stack, an auxiliary slide on themain slide having means for actuating the bending means carried by themain slide, and timed gearing for operating the strip feeding means andthe main and auxiliary slides.

13. A machine as described in claim 12, in which the clamping meanscomprises dogs pivoted on the main slide and moved into clampingposition by engagement with the stack holder.

14. A machine as described in claim 12, in which the bending meanscomprises angular fingers pivoted to the main slide and having gearteeth, and means for actuating said fingers includes gears on the mainslide and a rack bar on the auxiliary slide for driving said gears.

15. A machine for bundling stacks of superposed rings, comprising anintermittently moving conveyer having spaced receptacles for holdingunit stacks, feed rolls for delivering strip binding material inposition to be applied to a stack in one position of rest of theconveyer, main slides on opposite sides of the conveyer movable towardand from the latter, dogs on the slides actuated by engagement with thereceptacles for clamping the stacks in the receptacles, bending fingerson said slides for clipping the binding material about said stacks,auxiliary slides on the main slides carrying means for operating saidfingers on the main slides, and timed gearing actuating the conveyer,feed rolls and the main and auxiliary slides.

16. A machine as described in claim 15, in which the main slides areprovided with knives for severing predetermined lengths of bindingmaterial after the latter has been delivered by the feed rolls.

17. A machine for bundling stacks of superposed rings involving meansfor feeding strip binding material in a substantially vertical directionto present said material in an upright position adjacent a side of astack in parallelism to the axis of the, stack, and means movabletransversely of the axis of the stack for bending said material aboutthe top and bottom of the stack- 7 and downwardly and upwardly withinthe stack.

18. A machine for bundling stacks of superposed rings involving meansfor feeding strip binding material in a substantially vertical directionto present said material in an upright position adjacent a side of astack in parallelism to the axis of the stack, means for severing apredetermined length of said material while the latter is in an uprightposition, and means involving pivotally mounted members for bending saidmaterial around the ends of the stack and in opposite directions withinthe stack.

19. A machine for bundling stacks of superposed articles involving meansfor feeding strip binding material to a position adjacent a stack, meansfor severing a predetermined length of said strip material, and pivotedmembers respectively adapted to bend intermediate portions of thesevered strip across the ends of the stack and to bend the respectiveend portions of the severed strip downwardly and upwardly along a sideof the stack, each of said pivoted members having rigidly connectedangularly disposed arms one of which is adapted to extend over theadjacent end of the stack in engagement with the severed strip and theother of which is adapted to overlap said side of the stack inengagement with the strip.

20. A machine for bundling stacks of superposed rings involving 'meansfor feeding strip binding material in a substantially vertical directionto present said material in an upright position adjacent a side of astack, means for severing a predetermined length of said strip mate:-rial, and pivoted members respectively adapted to bend intermediateportions of the severed strip across the ends of the stack and to bendthe respective end portions of the strip downwardly and upwardly withinthe stack of rings, each of said pivoted members having rigidlyconnected angularly disposed arms one of which is adapted to extendacross the adjacent end of the stack in engagement with the severedstrip and the other of which is adapted to extend within the stack inengagement with said strip.

21. A machine for bundling stacks or superposed articles involving meansfor feeding strip binding material to a position adjacent the stack,movable means for compressing the stack engageable with the top thereof,and mechanism movable edgewise of the stack for actuating saidcompressing means, said mechanism having means for bending said stripmaterial about the stack while the latter is subjected tothe compressingmeans.

22. A machine for bundling stacks of superposed articles involving.means for feeding strip binding material to a position adjacent a stack,and a slidable member movable edgevvise of the stack, said member havingmovable means for clamping the stack engageable with the top thereof andalso having means for bending the strip material about the stack whilethe latter is subjected to the clamping means.

23. A machine for bundling stacks of superposed articles involving meansfor feeding strip binding material to a position adjacent a stack, aslidable member movable edgewise of the stack having means; for bendingsaid material about 7 the stack, and means for clamping the stack duringoperation of said bending means, said clamping means being engageablewith the stack on opposite sides of said bending means.

24. A machine for bundling stacks of superposed articles involvingmeans: for feeding strip binding material to a position adjacent astack, and a slidable member movable edgewise of the stack having meansfor clamping the stack engageable with the top thereof, said member alsohaving a pair of pivoted fingers for bending the strip material aboutthe stack while the latter is subjected to said clamping means.

HENRY GOR

